18 Jan Keeping Your Alfa Romeo Giulia on Point & Out of the Garage!
Alfa Romeo is a brand that has a long and storied history among fans of fine European automobiles, but to say they’ve struggled with some recent models might be a bit of an understatement. When it’s working perfectly, Alfa Romeo is a car that holds a strong reverence from reputation and performance, much like other high end European brands like Porsche, Jaguar, or Mercedes-Benz.
The problem for many Alfa Romeo owners is that there has been a sharp increase in complaints and common repair problems over the past few years. Keeping in mind that generally far more cars will work exactly as they’re supposed to versus not, this recent trend has garnered quite a bit of negative press and should be concerning not only to Alfa Romeo fans but also recent new owners who maybe bought remembering the name without seeing the worrisome reviews of the newer models.
Fortunately, the expert mechanics and specialists at Larchmere Imports have your back if your Alfa Romeo needs any maintenance, repair work, or even detailing to bring out that famously deep color and sparkle.
Read on to find out more about the Alfa Romeo, especially the recent Alfa Romeo Giulia model releases.
Why Recent Models are Especially Under Fire
This Italian brand has had a very love/hate relationship with many drivers in recent years, and a simple Google search reveals plenty of well-respected automotive blogs, magazines, and professionals who talk about the same issues coming up: the car handling like an incredible dream – and then something goes wrong.
There’s a lot to like about the sleek design and superior performance in a working Alfa Romeo. Working being the operative term.
For one driver it’s the engine suddenly losing power. For another the engine begins overheating. In another case there is rattling from an ill-fitting door that seemed concerning at high speeds. Perhaps the biggest frustration has been the lack of a single and obvious part or component that could be pointed to as a main issue. In that situation at least an easy fix, recall, or replacement could be made. But there isn’t one consistent source of issues, just a long list of calamities that are all over the place.
However, when you read consumer reports from actual owners and drivers, you get a series of absolutely glowing reviews. Many claim this is their favorite vehicle ever and point to the very benefits that many drivers appreciate: amazing handling, outstanding looks, and consistent high level performance.
This creates quite the quandary for Alfa Romeo fans who haven’t bought yet, as well as for owners who have had nothing but good driving experiences…until they don’t.
This “re-branding” with the 2017 and 2018 models seems to be where most of these maddeningly inconsistent issues come up, and where owners need to proceed with a bit of caution – and have a good group of reliable and experienced specialists on hand just in case. While it’s quite possible you may enjoy one of these frankly impressive and beautiful cars without any unusual glitches, there are also a few common problems cropping up that you do need to keep an eye out for.
Handling Axle & Suspension Issues
The first clue to this is often a knocking sound. Some drivers have mentioned it started out really low and gradually became louder the more they drove. Alfa Romeo Giulia owners have said the sound was loud off the bat, appearing with a sudden noisy jolt. Either way, once there’s any hint of that knocking sound it’s time to lay off the horsepower and get the vehicle to a European imports specialist as soon as possible.
In some rarer cases the sound was less of a knocking and what might be described as “chattering.” Point being, if you start hearing new, strange, and repetitive noises up front it’s time to give us a visit here at Larchmere so we can identify the problem for you and get you an economic solution so your vehicle is back up to its high performance standards as quickly as possible.
Taking Care of Electronics Problems
There’s no single common electronics problem that keeps popping up, but if there is a clear weakness in the new 2017 and 2018 models it is with the general electronics. From the dashboard lighting up with every warning light to settings not staying in memory, there are many different areas where it seems drivers have had complaints with the electronics.
Problems here go beyond needing mechanics; you need technicians and specialists to troubleshoot these issues. Our team at Larchmere is always ready to make sure we can tackle the myriad of potential problems that the Giulia has had with various electrical issues over the past couple of years.
Oh Those Engine Lights!
Obviously an engine light generally refers to an issue – that’s what they’re there for. However Cleveland Alfa Romeo drivers have noted just how often the engine lights pop up. This has happened when pushing the car’s horsepower, and in some causes in relatively benign driving conditions that really shouldn’t have caused any issues.
This rarely seems to be an issue with the engine lights themselves, but actually shows the array of engine issues that different Giulia owners have come across and had to deal with. While there are many vehicles where the check engine light comes on and you can more or less ignore it, or know it’s the light itself that is the issue, when it comes to the Alfa Romeo it is really important to heed the warning because chances are the issue is more serious.
Alfa Romeo Owners – Contact Us Today!
We all have that care that we love, and when an Alfa Romeo has everything clicking perfectly you remember exactly why these cars had such an amazing reputation once upon a time. At their best, the Alfa Romeo delivers some incredible power, handling, and force in beautiful looking compact package.
Whether you’re concerned about how the engine is reacting on certain settings, having frustrating check engine light issues, or just want the peace of mind that comes from a thorough maintenance checkup done by European automotive specialists, then it’s time to come see us as Larchmere Imports.
Larchmere Imports takes pride in providing the best in quality service while meeting all of your European automotive needs for Cleveland, Chagrin Falls, and University Circle Alfa Romeo owners!
Chagrin Falls Location: (440) 591-5488
Cleveland Location: (216) 229-8000